Collapsible chair of improved strength

ABSTRACT

A COLLAPSIBLE CHAIR OF IMPROVED STRENGTH, MADE OF SUITABLE STIFF SHEET MATERIAL SUCH AS RELATIVELY STIFF CARDBOARD OR CORRUGATED PAPERBOARD, FORMED OF A BLANK WHICH HAS BEEN ADAPTED BY MEANS OF A PLURALITY OF FOLD, CUT AND SCORE LINES IN SUCH A WAY THAT WHEN THE BLANK IS FOLDED ALONG THE FOLD LINES A CHAIR HAVING A REINFORCED BACK WILL BE DEFINED THEREBY, THE CUT LINES FORMING WING SECTIONS IMPARTING ADDITIONAL REINFORCEMENT TO THE BACK, THE SCORE LINES DEFINING REMOVABLE SECTIONS WHICH, WHEN REMOVED, ARE EFFECTIVE TO SIMULTANEOUSLY FORM SUPPORTS FOR THE SEAT AND ACT AS A REMOVABLE LOCK FOR THE CHAIR.

M. KRoNE coLLAPsIBLE CHAIR oF IMPRovED STRENGTH sept. 2o, 1971 -sheets-Sheet 1 l Filed Aug.v 21, 1969 lm .//llf n 2 6 Sept.v20, 1971 v M KIRQNE 3,606,459

coI..LAPsIBLEl CHAIR `0F IMPRovED STRENGTH Filed Aug. 2l, 1969 v 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

MARTIN KRONE Attorneys sept. 2o, 1971 v A.M vKRQNE 3,606,459

COLLAPSIL CHAIR OF IMPROVED STRENGTH lFiled Aug. 2,1, 1969 Y s sheets-sheet s INVENTOR.

MAR TIN KRONE Attorneys United States Patent Oice 3,606,459 Patented Sept. 20, 1971 3,606,459 'COLLAPSIBLE CHAIR OF llVIPROVED STRENGTH Martin Krone, 60 E. 42nd St., New York, N.Y. 10017 Filed Aug. 21, 1969, Ser. No. 851,884

Int. Cl. A47c 7/00 U.S. Cl. 297-440 ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A collapsible chair of improved strength, made of suitable stiff sheet material such as relatively stiff cardboard or corrugated paperboard, for-med of a blank which has been adapted by means of a plurality of fold, cut and score lines in such a way that when the blank is folded along the fold lines a chair having a reinforced back will be defined thereby, the cut lines forming wing sections imparting additional reinforcement to the back, the score lines defining removable sections which, when removed, are effective to simultaneously form supports for the seat and act as a removable lock for the chair.

BACKGROUND OF THE yINVENTION (1) Field of the invention This invention relates to a chair and more particularly to a foldably constructable chair made of suitably stiff sheet material.

(2) Description of the prior art It is well known that one or more blanks of cardboard or the like may be shaped for folding to form a chair of limited strength at a relatively low cost. Such a chair may be designed for use as a childs toy or may be designed for use by an adult. The problem with the prior art chairs has been their inability to seat a relatively heavy load and consequently such chairs have been characterized by their brief use.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is, therefore, one of the principal objectives of the invention to provide a chair of improved strength yet at a relatively low cost.

In accordance with the present invention, a foldably constructable chair is provided formed of a cardboard blank, which has been adapted by means of a plurality of fold, cut and score lines in such a Way that when the blank is folded along said fold lines a chair having a reinforced back will be defined thereby, said cut lines forming wing sections which impart `additional reinforcement to said back, said score lines defining removable sections which, when removed, are effective to simultaneously form. supports for said seat and to act as a removable lock for said chair.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The invention will be hereinafter more fully described with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which FIG. 1 is a plan view of a blank utilized in the assembly of a chair pursuant to the present invention;

FIGS. 2-5 illustrate the successive steps employed to assemble the chair of the invention;

FIG. 6 is a view in perspective of one of the removable sections detached from the blank, and

6 Claims FIG. 7 is a view in perspective of a chair fully assembled in accord with the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS Referring now to the figures of the drawing, FIG. l illustrates a blank 10 of fiuted cardboard of conventional construction, the blank as here shown being essentially rectangular in configuration. As such, the blank 10 has a lpair of parallel opposing transverse edges 12 and 14, and a pair of parallel opposing longitudinal edges 16 and '18.

Intermediate the transverse edges 12 and 14, there are provided four laterally spaced transverse fold lines 20;, 22, 24 and 26. Edge 12 and -fold line 20 define a ap forming member 28; fold lines 20 and 22, 22 and 24, 24 and 26, fold line 26 and edge 14 define four main panels 30, 32, 34 and 36, respectively.

Between longitudinal edges 16 and 18, in turn, panel member 30 is provided with four longitudinally oriented fold lines 38, 40, 42 and 44; panel member 32 is provided with two longitudinally oriented fold lines 4'6 and 48; panel member 34 with four longitudinally oriented fold lines 50, 52, 54 and 56; and panel member 36 with two longitudinally oriented fold lines 58 and 60.

Additionally, the blank is provided, intermediate the transverse edges 12 and 14, with five laterally spaced transverse cut lines `62, 64, 66, 68 and 70. Cut line 62 extends from fold line 3'8 to fold line 42; cut line 64 extends from the intersection of fold lines 22, 38 and 46 terminating at longitudinal edge 18, with the upper portion thereof slightly outwardly displaced from the horizontal as at 72; cut line l66 extends from the intersection of fold lines 24, 46 and 50 terminating at longitudinal edge 18 with the upper portion thereof slightly outwardly `displaced from the horizontal as at 74; cut line 68 extends from fold line 50 to fold line 54; and finally cut line 70 extends from the intersection of fold lines 26 and 58 terminating at longitudinal edge 18.

Still further, between the transverse edges 12 and 14, there are provided five longitudinally oriented cut lines 76, 78, 180, 82 and 84. -Cut line 76 extends in straight line relation from fold line 38 for a short distance towards fold line 20; cut line 78 extends from the transverse edge y12 and intersects the base portion of cut line I62; cut line is in a central intermediate location between the ends of fold line 48; cut line 82 extends in straight line relation from fold line 50 for a short distance towards fold line 26; and cut line 84 extends from the intersection of fold lines 26, 58 and cut line 70 intersecting the base portion of cut line 6-8.

A diagonal fold line 86 connects the free end of cut line 76 with the cut line 78 at about its mid-point. Similarly, another diagonal fold line 88 connects the free end of cut line 82 with the cut line 84 except at a point about two-thirds distant from the intersection of cut lines 68 and 84.

The longitudinal edge 16 of the blank is provided with a pair of broad, U-shaped, relatively shallow, cut-outs 90, 92, defined in a generally central location in panels 32 and 36. The oher longitudinal edge 18 is provided with six narrow, U-shaped, relatively deep cut-outs 94, 96, 98, 100, 102 and 104 with a pair being defined in a generally central location in each panel member 30, 32 and 34. Additionally, longitudinal edge 118 is provided with a locking tab forming member 106 of generally T- shaped configuration defined in a Igenerally central position in panel 36.

A right angle score line 108 starting from longitudinal edge 18, between cut lines `64 and 66, defines a removable first locking support forming member 1110; and a right langle score line 112 starting from transverse edge ,12 defines a removable second locking support forming member 114. Member 114 is also provided with a pair of lU- shaped cut-outs 117 and 119 similar to cut-outs 98 and 100 in member 110.

Thus, a blank ffoldable into a chair, adapted as described, with the various fold, cut and score lines, will define, in the panel 36, a back wall forming member 116, a back rest forming member 118, and a back rest top forming member 120; in the panel 34 a first outside end wall forming member 4122, a first inside end wall forming member ,124, a first wing forming member 126, a bottom forming member 128, and a first |vertical seat support forming member 130; in the panel 32 a front wall forming member 132, a seat forming member 134, an intermediate back reinforcing member 136, and as mentioned a first locking support forming member 110; and finally in the panel 30 a second outside end wall forming member 138, a second inside end iwall forming member 140, a second wing forming member 14-2, a bottom forming member 144, a second |vertical seat support forming member 146, and as mentioned, a second locking support forming member 114, and a sealing fiap forming member 28.

In order to form the chair 110 of the invention (FIGS. 2-5), as a preliminary step, the flap forming member 28 is folded over upon itself along fold line 20` to form flap 227 and a longitudinal stripe of glue may then be applied to the exterior face 229 of the flap thus formed. Next the blank is folded over upon itself, along the fold line 24, toward the face 229 of flap 20, so that the peripheral margin, adjacent to longitudinal edge |14, of back wall forming member 116 contacts the glued fiap 227 and is adhered thereto. In this condition, the folded glued blank is in a particularly desirable compact state for stacking and shipping.

To complete the set up of the chair, the blank is folded along the fold lines 22 and 26 to form the chair back wall 216, front wall 232, rst and second outside end walls 222 and 238, respectively, the back rest 2118, the seat 234, the intermediate back support 236, the first and second vertical seat supports 230 and 246, and the first and second inside end walls 224 and 240, respectively. Thereafter, the chair is folded along the remaining fold lines in the direction of the arrows shown in FIGIS. 2-5, and as follows.

Both locking supports 210 and 214 are removed along score lines 108 and 112. Then, the first and second vertical seat supports 230 and 246 are folded outwardly along fold lines 54 and 56 and 42 and 44 respectively, to form the chair bottoms 228 and 244, respectively. The wings 226 and 242 are folded inwardly toward the chair back wall 216. Following this, each of the vertical seat supports are swung inwardly until each bottom 228 and 244 rests flatly on the floor. As a result, the first and second inside end walls 224 and 240 now each abut against and support the respective first and second outside end walls 222 and 238 which now have a generally L-shape, and the first and second Ivertical seat supports 230 and 246 are positioned [vertically within the chair interior. Thence, the locking supports 210 and 214 are inserted into the vertical seat supports, by engaging slots 198 and 200 of locking support 210 into associated slots 202 and 194 of the vertical seat supports and slots 217 and 219 of locking support 214 into associated slots 196 and 204, thereby locking them in place. The seat 234 is folded down until it rests on the locking supports and vertical seat supports and the intermediate back support 236 rests against the wings 226 and 242. Finally, the back rest 218 is folded 4 down along fold lines 58 and 60 with locking tab 206 into the receiving slot 180 4formed by the former cut line 80, and the chair is now ready for use.

Thus, in accord with the invention, a readily collapsible and assemblable chair is provided having a reinforced back and a fully supported seat, yet which is relatively inexpensive to produce.

What is claimed is:

1. A blank folda-ble into a chair of improved strength comprising a sheet of cardboard having an elongated rectangular shape, at least four laterally spaced transverse fold lines in said blank delineating a ap forming member and four panel members, a first panel member being provided with at least four longitudinal oriented fold lines, a second panel member being provided with at least two longitudinal oriented fold lines, a third panel member being provided with at least four longitudinal oriented fold lines and a fourth panel member being provided with at least two longitudinal oriented fold lines, said blank also being provided with at least five laterally spaced transverse cut lines, a first cut line being provided in said first panel member, second and third cut lines being provided between said first and second panel members and contiguous with the second and third fold lines delineating said first and second panel members, a fourth cut line being provided in said third panel member, a fifth cut line being provided between said third and fourth panel members, and contiguous with the fourth transverse fold line, said cut lines delineating with said fold lines, respectively; a back wall forming member and a back rest forming member, a first outside end wall forming member, a first inside end Iwall forming member, a seat formin-g member, intermediate back reinforcement forming member, a second vertical seat support forming member, a front wall forming member, a second outside end wall forming member and a second inside end wall forming member, a score line in the transverse edge bounding said first panel member defining a locking support forming member and another score line provided in said third panel member along an adjacent longitudinal wall delineating another locking support forming member, the front wall forming member and back wall forming member having at the other longitudinal edge bounding them, a pair of shallow U-shaped cut-outs provided therein, the longitudinal edge bounding said first and second vertical seat support forming members being provided with means for receiving said locking support forming members after said chair has been folded whereby a chair is foldably constructed from said blank having a reinforced back and wherein locking supports formed from said locking support forming members act to support the seat formed from said seat forming member and to lock said chair in the chair folded condition.

2. A foldably constructable chair formed of a cardboard blank, said cardboard blank having been adapted by means of a plurality of fold cut and score lines in such a way that when said blank is folded along said fold lines a chair having a reinforced back will be defined thereby, said cut lines forming wing sections which impart additional reinforcement to said back, said score lines defining removable sections which, when removed, are effective to simultaneously form supports for said seat and act as removable locks for said chair, said chair back further comprising a back wall, a back rest and `a wall intermediate said back rest and said back wall, said intermediate back wall being contiguous with and defined from said seat.

3. A blank according to claim 1 wherein said locking support forming members and said first and second vertical seat support forming members are each provided with associated locking slots so that said locking support forming mem-bers will be lockable into said first and second vertical seat support forming members when a chair is folded from said blank.

4. A chair according to claim 2 wherein said back rest References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Parrott 297-442UX Lyles 297-442 Snyder 297-440 Smith et al 297-442 Harrison 297-442 10 PAUL R. GILLIAM, Primary Examiner 

